January 25, 2011

Boston Celtics star Kevin Garnett ("KG") has earned a good reputation for his charitable interests off the court as well as his strong play on the court. His most recent endeavor was participating in a charity bowling event to rasie money for "The Truth Fund" and "The Truth on Health" information campaign. Both initiatives, targeted to reach underprivileged kids, are spearheaded by Garnett's teammate Paul Pierce.

Read more about KG's longstanding interest in "giving back" in Enslow Publishers's Kevin Garnett: All-Star On and Off the Court. Author J. Chris Roselius' attractively designed, 128-page biography neatly illuminates Garnett's early years, his rise to stardom, and selected charitable activities. An excellent choice for character education and African-American biography collections, this Guided Reading Level "V" title is available in paperback for $9.95 or in a library-bound edition.

January 11, 2011

January snowstorms, a common occurance in many regions of the United States, present opportunities to raise a child's awareness of the interaction between the natural world and climate. To support this educational approach, teachers and parents can use Enslow Publishers' Baby Snow Animals. The title, included in the "All About Baby Animals" series, invites emerging readers to delightfully discover young animals who live in charactertistically wintry conditions. Author Jane Katirgis' 24-page book provides a thoughtfully chosen combination of sight words and associated, full-color photographs that children can enjoy. Instructors will welcome Baby Snow Animals'teacher's guide, which includes useful class activities suitable for the book's Guided Reading Level "B" text and pre-K to grade one interest level.

The teacher's guide is available as a free downloadable document. Baby Snow Animals is available in paperback for $6.95; a library-bound version is also available.

January 4, 2011

For the past month, snowbirds have cheered the record snowfalls across the United States. Over seventeen feet of snow has fallen in sections of California's Sierra Nevada mountain range. Central New York's "lake effect" snow belt recorded snowfalls of 70-plus inches in December. Thanks to a surfeit of snow, slopes from New England to the Rockies are having a strong season.

All that snow has encouraged snowmobile enthusiasts to enjoy the great outdoors in their machines. Young readers curious about this popular winter activity can learn more when they read Enslow Publishers' Snowmobile Racers. Author Bob Woods' 48-page book, part of Enslow's "Kid Racers" series, provides a delightful introduction to snowmobiling's challenges and excitement. The work's design, combining engaging "pull-outs," dynamic photographs, and a well-written narrative, draws enthusiastic and reluctant readers to enjoy this curriculum leveled, Guided Reading Level "S" title. Instructors and classroom paraprofessionals also benefit from using the book's free, downloadable teacher's guide.